The present invention relates to a data input device in an information processor such as a personal computer, a workstation, etc., and particularly relates to a data input device having an arithmetical function.
In general, a keyboard is used in a data input device in an information processor such as a personal computer, a workstation, etc. Heretofore, this type keyboard is used for data input or for temporary storage of inputted data, but it is not used for carrying out an arithmetical function on inputted data. On the other hand, in an information processor used for generating a document or a table, it is general that a known application program such as a so-called spreadsheet program is used for carrying out an arithmetical function on data inputted through a keyboard or the like.
When a spreadsheet generating process or the like is carried out in an information processor such as a personal computer, a workstation, etc., there is a case where arithmetical result data are required as input data. In this case, arithmetical result data are inputted through a conventional data input device after the arithmetical result data are beforehand obtained by calculation in a desk calculator, calculation manually on paper, or the like, because the conventional data input device such as a keyboard has no pre-process capability for directly carrying out an arithmetical function on inputted data. There arises a problem in that the calculation work requires much labor and much time. On the other hand, the calculation in a desk calculator, the calculation manually on paper, or the like, is not required if a spreadsheet program is used. In the case where another software program such as a document editing software program, a database software program, a program editing software program, etc. is used in an information processor, the table processing software program cannot be used simultaneously in the information processor. There arises a problem against convenient use.